Explainer
The evidence shows Jeffries’ statement that it is almost wrong to have about 20% of veteran households rely on food stamps.
by
Released on May 13, 2025
Hakeem Jeffries, a Democratic leader in the U.S. House of Representatives, has denounced House Republicans considering cutting federal safety net programs, pointing to it affecting veterans.
“Around 20% of veteran families rely on supplemental nutritional food aid,” a representative from New York’s 8th Congressional District said Thursday, referring to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), known as Food Stamps.
Jeffries’ statement followed news reports that House Republicans are restricting future SNAP gains, adding additional work requirements, and pushing them to shift some SNAP costs that have been historically fully paid by the federal government into the state.
Jeffries quoted an inaccurate person. According to an April 2 report on budget and policy priorities, a liberal think tank, the share of veterans relying on SNAP’s benefits is around 8%.
Jeffries’ office provided no evidence to support his statement.
The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities cited data from the Agriculture Department showing that 11% of veterans aged 18 to 64 experienced food insecurity between 2015 and 2019. The sector defined food insecurity as “limited or uncertain access to adequate food” due to lack of economic resources. The department found that veterans may be more likely to experience food insecurity after managing a variety of socioeconomic and demographic characteristics.
The Center’s report used data from the U.S. Census Bureau from 2021 to 2023 to estimate the number of veterans living in households receiving SNAP benefits in the 12 months prior to being surveyed.
The report estimates that more than 1.2 million veterans lived in households receiving SNAP benefits.
Luis Nunez, a research analyst with a center for budget and policy priorities and author of the report, said 8% covers whether all veterans are alone or live with others.
In Oregon, food stamp veterans were 14% in every state, followed by 11% in Louisiana, New Mexico and West Virginia.
Nationally, 8% of veterans receive food stamps. There is no condition above 14%
Data from years ago showed a lower percentage than the centres in budget and policy priorities reporting.
A RAND Corporation think tank surveyed data from 2015 to 2020 and found that 4.9% of veterans across the country lived in households receiving SNAP benefits at some point in the past 12 months. A 2022 government accountability report found that 6.5% of all veterans received SNAP benefits in 2019. The agricultural sector found an average of 6.6% in 2018 and 2019.
Our arbitration
“Around 20% of households with veterans rely on them,” Jeffries said.
A survey on April 2 found that 8% of US veterans rely on SNAP benefits. No state had a share of more than 14%.
Studies using data from several years ago show rates between 4.9% and 6.6%.
There is a truthful element that veterans face food insecurity at a higher level than non-betalans. However, this statement ignores important facts that give a different impression. Therefore, the statement is largely wrong.